When
Waterworks - Lamson set out to design their own reels, they
started by evaluating not just the reel, but the rod/reel system.
They discussed, observed and evaluated rod design at the world’s
leading rod manufacturers, and quickly came to the conclusion that
reels were too heavy.
Waterworks - Lamson needed to lighten reels in order to keep
pace with the ever-lighter rods and to eliminate the negative impact
that a reel has on a rod’s casting performance. Call this their
first objective: reduce physical weight.
Another objective was to simplify the design of a reel. With any
mechanical device,
 simplicity is a virtue. Waterworks - Lamson saw
reels with 80+ parts. It is easy to make something with too many
parts; it’s hard to make something work with fewer parts. Simplicity
means that there is less that can go wrong, can result in the virtue
of less physical weight, and moreover, often becomes the catalyst
for an elegant design solution.
A third objective was to optimize large arbor benefit. The world is
full of reels that call themselves “large arbor” but whose bark in
this regard is louder than their bite. Call these reels mid-arbor.
Waterworks - Lamson believes in the virtues of large arbor: faster
retrieve rate, constant drag tension and elimination of coil memory.
So we set out to maximize the benefits.
Waterworks - Lamson felt that they could bring a better reel to
market by using superior materials and processes. They looked at fly
reels and saw materials being used that were cutting edge at the
time of Jesus. Much advancement has been made in the past 2,000
years, even the past 10 years, that were not being applied to fly
reels to make them perform better.
Finally, Waterworks - Lamson set out to design the world’s best drag
system. This meant zero start-up inertia. It meant silk-smooth
through the entire torque range. It meant top-end torque sufficient
to stop what you catch. It meant that the drag would perform exactly
the same under all conditions that one met in real life: water,
sand, dirt. It meant that you shouldn’t have to think about your
drag, ever. No cleaning or lubrication required.
And so Waterworks - Lamson objectives were
clear:
 Reduce physical weight
Achieve mechanical simplicity
Maximize large arbor benefit
Utilize superior materials
Create the world’s best drag system
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